DHARAMSHALA: Gedhun Choekyi Nyima, the XIth Panchen Lama of Tibet Friday turns 19.

He has been missing for the past thirteen years along with his parents. There has been no information about his well being and whereabouts till date.

Although numerous governments and independent organizations in the past have consistently pressed the Chinese authorities to disclose information about his whereabouts and well being but there were no positive response from the government of China.

The authorities have cited various excuses for denying access to the Panchen Lama and his family. In 2006 the Chinese authorities refused to arrange meetings between the Panchen Lama and Reuters stating that it was done purely out of respect for the family's wishes not to be "disturbed" by outsiders.

In September 2005, Chinese authorities informed the UN Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Religion or Belief that Gedhun Choekyi Nyima was in "good health and just like any other children is leading a normal, happy life and receiving a good cultural education".

A year later, in an official communication from China, UN rights experts were told that Gedhun Choekyi is not the Panchen Lama but "merely an ordinary Tibetan child".

Louise Arbour, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights and Asma Jahangir, the UN Special Rapporteur on Religious Freedom and Belief discussed the case of Gedhun Choekyi Nyima to the Chinese authorities during their official visits to China in 29 August- 2 September 2005 and 9 January 2005 respectively.